A month tomorrow and we'll have a farm! Well, land for a farm - it's not a farm yet, it's a tabla rasa, my canvas!
I'm getting super excited about some communications I had with DSE about indigenous plantings, possibilities for getting grant funding for the areas I want to regenerate and rehabilitation for the creek etc.
I have borrowed lots of books on strawbale building and a book on the Home Creamery (will have to buy a copy, though!), for when we have a house cow (and I'm hoping to have a house goat, but only if I'm allowed to keep a few goats). I'm lobbying DP for some alpacas, but he's got some arbitrary policy against them and won't even read the articles in Small Farms about alpacas...WTF? I'll get round that, somehow
DS is looking forward to moving to his grandma's, knowing that after that we'll go to the farm. We've almost decided to get him a battery powered quad bike for kids for his birthday in June.
The house packing here is mental - I'm packing for our stay at MiL's and packing for what's going straight to the farm, but in the meantime (between settlement here and the farm) our farm stuff is going to Mt Martha to DP's aunt's place...sheesh!
Once we're in at MiL's I'll be looking into the schools in the area. Not sure about kinder, as I may have to utilise the childcare at uni in Churchill and they have a kinder program. DD may be old enough to handle a couple of days at childcare next year so that I can finish my course. The only thing with that is that the course finishes in June and then DS will be facing a new kinder for only 6 months. Unless I just take him out all together when I finish and DD, DS and I just enjoy the farm together full-time until he starts school. I'm thinking out loud now, but this last bit makes the most sense to me ATM!
I've been in contact with the local rural brigade, but will be looking to transfer to the urban one. I'm in touch with a local ABA person, too (what a fantastic network this is!!).
All the reservations I had last year about moving are largely dissolved. People in my riding club think we're mad for having such large acreage, saying their 10 acres are hard enough to maintain. But then, they don't have a herd of steers to help out, they just have a few horses, and all that comes with having one species' parasites on pasture.
We got the cheque for the deposit on this house and that feels ace.
I reckon I should probably start a blog from here on in...once I've moved to MiL's and have some headspace
Thanks for your well-wishes, people, and for noticing my little woo-hoo.
Any other random bits of advice for a country newby? I've discovered there's a 'new residents' group at the local community house that I'll be joining.
I don't think you need much advice, I'm sure you will slot in to the lifestyle no worries There is loads and loads of funding available to you if you want to regenerate areas. We did it a few years back to fence off our creek and plant trees etc to stop errosion and it was well worth it - even if we did spend nearly a week solid on the computer getting the application done LOL. Start buying The Land newspaper though - a lot of the grants are advertised through there and it will also help you keep current on advancements in farming practice etc as well as give you a feel for key issues. Oh and if you do run cattle, you will have to get yourself set up for NLIS because even if you aren't seriously into it, you will still need to be able to trace your livestock's movements etc when being brought and sold.
How exciting!!!
I wouldn't worry about DS and kinder, they adjust to change really well at this age especially boys, I teach kindergarten (your prep) and have had kids leave for other schools after 6 months and been happy as larry. You are so positive about it all that will rub off on him and he will be fantastic.
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